Woodland woman acquitted in June felony hit-and-run

Following the not guilty verdict of a Woodland woman in a fatal hit-and-run, several local readers argued whether justice had been served.

Prosecutors alleged that 28-year-old Kristal Sutton ran over 58-year-Alisa Horner on the night of June 30, drove away and later "hid in her home" because she didn't want her car to be impounded.

But jurors agreed with Public Defender Tracie Olson that Sutton fled out of fear for her life and was contacted so quickly by police she never had the opportunity to turn herself in.

Horner later died from her injuries. Jurors heard opening arguments on Wednesday. On Thursday, jurors got the case around 10:30 a.m. and came back with a decision around 3 p.m.

When the story was posted of The Daily Democrat's Facebook page Friday, it quickly gathered comments from readers, most disagreeing with the verdict, some indicating it has to do with race. Sutton is a white woman.

Many comments said that Sutton got away with "murder," although the Yolo County District Attorney's Office only charged the Woodland woman with felony hit-and-run.

"How do you get off completely from something like that?" commented Julia Veliz. "She full on ran her over, she didn't just hit her."

Others said it was "an unfortunate event all around" but understood how the jury determined its verdict.

"While I don't agree with the verdict, it appears to be the correct decision. Unfortunately someone lost their life," said Adrian Arias Gonzalez on Facebook. "Given the victim's past offenses, there was no way to show the victim in a victimless light. The fact she instigated the situation is key here."

During the trial, Olson said her client had reason to be afraid. After getting a soda at the 7-Eleven, at 1229 E. Main St., the diminutive Sutton was returning to her car when she was approached by a much larger - and heavily intoxicated - Horner, who said, "Excuse me, you need to come with me," according to Olson.

Horner was hanging on to Sutton's car door, Olson said, and Sutton thought she intended to drag her to a group of people gathered by the nearby Redbox machine.

Sutton was afraid, her lawyer said, and even after she managed to get into her car and shut the door, Horner "then puts her head into the car window."

They struggled, and Sutton started her car and began to drive off, but Horner followed beside her, Olson said. Suddenly, "Ms. Horner gets in front of her car, and just like that, she gets hit."

Sutton then got out to see what happened. But bystanders began to gather around her, and "the crowd from the Redbox are coming forward. ... So, scared for her life, she gets in her car" and drives to her apartment, located nearby on Alice Street.

Still panicked, Sutton "calls the father of her children," Olson said. By the time he arrived, police were getting there too. The whole thing took 12 minutes.

"So yes, you have to report (an accident) without unnecessary delay," Olson said. "That's not what happened here."

Although there was outrage directed at Sutton, Woodland police testified that Horner was well known to them with a long history of alcohol-related offenses, including public intoxication.

Sutton had faced up to four years in prison had she been convicted of unlawfully leaving the scene.